Hesston cagers sharp in sweep

The Hesston basketball teams more than validated their state rankings Tuesday night in a home sweep of Pratt.

The Swather girls, ranked No. 1 in Class 3A in the latest KBCA poll, stormed to a 61-42 victory, buoyed by a 30-14 first-half advantage.

Kelsey Unruh scored all of her team-leading 12 points in the first half, including 6 of 6 at the foul line where Hesston made 18 of 24 as a team. Caylee Richardson chipped in with 11 points, and Megan Voth and Cami Richardson just missed doubles with nine each.

The Hesston boys blazed to an 18-5 first-quarter lead over Pratt, pushed it to 31-16 at the half and went on to a 62-43 triumph to show their No. 2 ranking is legitimate.

• Solomon boys 57, Inman 47 — The Teutons lost their fourth game in a row after a season-opening victory.

“We just can’t quite get it going, it’s always something different,” said Inman coach Brett Froese, who last year saw his team lose five in a row early in the season only to reel off a 13-game winning streak.

• Canton-Galva boys 51, Ell-Saline 46 — The Eagles went over the .500 mark for the season at 3-2 as they roared back in the fourth quarter for the emotional victory.

C-G outscored the Cardinals 12-2 in the fourth quarter. The Eagles were down 28-20 at the half. Free throws were a key as C-G made 7 of 8 in the final period.

“I didn't feel we came out of the gate with the defensive intensity we needed,” C-G coach Shane Duncan said. “Ell-Saline made us pay for every defensive mistake. We definitely picked it up halfway through the third quarter and we were able to force them into some bad decisions and capitalize off them. The fourth quarter was one of the best defensive efforts of any team I have had the privilege to coach. The boys showed a lot of mental toughness in the second half."

Cody Savage led the Eagles with 14 points, and Nick Bray and Tanner Klingensmith added 10 apiece. Klingensmith completed his double-double with 10 rebounds, while Savage had eight and Bray seven. Bray also had four assists and Savage had three steals.

• Ell-Saline girls 52, Canton-Galva 38 — The first quarter was the whole story, as the Cardinals jumped on the Eagles for a 20-2 lead. C-G actually scored 20 of its points in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late.

Cassidy Enns continued her forceful season by pouring in 22 points, but no other Eagle tallied more than five.

In winning a fourth straight game, the Redskins rode the hot hand of Tevin Renken, who poured in 30 points. He was 10 of 16 from the field and 9 of 9 at the line. He also had 10 rebounds for a double-double.

Trevor Smyres added 12 points.

• Little River girls 49, Central Christian 17 — It was a lockdown defensive effort by the Redskins, who streaked to their fourth win in a row.

Little River held the Cougars scoreless in sprinting to a 17-0 first-quarter lead.

Emily Baldwin and Skylar Johnston scored 15 and 12 points, respectively. Baldwin made 6 of 9 floor shots and she also had a team-leading three assists.

• Lyons boys 45, Smoky Valley 24 — In a low-scoring game, the Lions led 17-4 at the half before business started to pick up.

The Vikings struggled from the field, making 7 of 38 floor shots. No player had more than five points.

• Lyons girls 63, Smoky Valley 40 — Like so many games on Tuesday, it was a case of a team coming out white-hot. The Lions poured in 29 first-quarter points, but it was relatively close the rest of the way.